Kafka at the Movies
Although Kafka's stories are exceptionally difficult to film, that hasn't
stopped people from trying. Here are three examples. Click
on the picture or title to read more about it.
Here are some more Kafka movies I haven't been able to see yet.
Many are beyond obscure, though!
Courtesy the Internet Movie Database.
Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life This movie is about the travails poor Franz faces as he tries to figure out what creature Gregor Samsa should turn into. People, some normal, most bizarre, come in and out of his room as he's trying to write.
Los Amores de Kafka (The Loves of Kafka): From the brief review in film.com, this seems like a pretty bizarre Argentine film about K's life circa 1920, including Milena Jesenska, Julie Whoryzek, and most of his family, especially his supportive sister Ottla.
Not one but four movies based on The Castle: Das Schloß, a German film from 1997, Zamok, a Russian film from 1994, Linna, a Finnish movie from 1986, and the oldest, Das Schloß, yet another German version, from 1968. Alas, none in English yet, though.
Two based on Amerika: a Czech one in 1994, Amerika, and a German 1984 version with the tongue-twister name Klassenverhältnisse (Class Relations).
And finally, three based on The Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis,a 1987 British TV movie, of all things, but before that there was the Canadian 1977 animated The Metamorphosis of Mr. Samsa, and a 1976 Swedish version, Förvandlingen.
Naturally, listing these movies does not mean that I know where to find them or anything like that. Please visit the Internet Movie Database for even more obscure movies!
